We made it to 2023!!! The past 3 years have been a whirlwind. If you're anything like me, you've probably put on some weight since COVID and the holidays. So it's not uncommon to start the year with New Year's resolutions.
For many people, this means joining a gym or starting a new workout routine. While making resolutions are good, they are useless if you fall off the wagon too quickly. Here are a couple reasons why those New Year's resolutions often fail:
- Unrealistic goals - Many people set ambitious goals for themselves, which can be difficult or even impossible to achieve. For example, resolving to lose 50 pounds in a month is not realistic and is likely to set you up for failure.
- Lack of planning - It's not enough to just set a goal; you need to make a plan to achieve it. Without a clear roadmap, it's easy to get sidetracked or lose motivation.
So what can you do to increase your chances of success with your New Year's resolutions? Here are a few tips:
- Set realistic goals: Make sure your goals are SMART. Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time Bound. For example: my SMART goal is to lose the 8 lbs of weight I gained over the Holiday. (I indulged in a lot of home cooked Chinese meals while in Toronto.) I plan to do that over the next 3 months by going to the gym 3x/week for 45 minutes. I will be using a combination of cardio and weight training.
- Create a plan: Break your goal down into smaller, actionable steps, and create a timeline for achieving each step. How do you eat an elephant? One bite at a time. Yes. You can set out to go to the gym 5x a week for the next year.
While it's great to set goals for health and fitness, it is important to approach them with a realistic and well-planned approach. By setting achievable goals and creating a plan, you can increase your chances of success with your gym-related New Year's resolution.
Let us know if you want to make sure that injury doesn’t get in the way of your New Year’s resolutions this year.
